Sash balance



Feb. 13, 19346 A J. F. PETERsoN sAsH BALANCE Filed April l, 1933ll/Il/l/I lll Invent-or 1752 F Pezmn man..

I `,qllomey Patented. F el). 13, 1934 I UNITED? sTA TEs PATENT oFFicE.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to sash balances of the type in which the sash isheld by tape wound about spring-dnuns which are provided with brakes;and in accordance with the present invention a balance of this characteris provided whichV is believed to be materially simplified over similarprior art devices, to be durable in operation and otherwise a generalimprovement upon sash balances of the type mentioned.

Further in accordance with the present invention improved means isprovided for operatively connecting the tape to the window sash.

The invention together with its numerous objects and advantages will bebest understood from a study of the following description, taken in.connection with the accompanying drawings wherein is illustrated apreferred embodiment of the invention.

While the embodiment of the invention as g@ shown and illustrated isdeemed to be preferred, it is to be understood that it is in nowiseintended to limit the invention to the precise .ietails, constructionand arrangement of parts herein shown and described, and that I claimall such forms of the invention to which I am entitled in view of therequirement of the prior art and the scope ci' the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional View showing the sash balance applied.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an attachment for the window sash andconstituting a guide for the tape and a means for detachably securingthe tape to the sash.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional View through the spring drum.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a brake and pulley supporting bracket.

Figure 6 is a horizontal vsectional view taken substantially on the line6 6 of Figure 1.'

Referring to the drawings by reference numer- 5 als 10 designates aportion of a vertical rail of a i window trame while 11 designates aportion of one vertical style of a window sash.

The improved sash balance comprises a casing 12 adapted to be mountedwithin the rail 10 and provided at one end with a face plate 13 securedin the groove of the rail through the medium of screws or otherfastening element 14. The casing 12 is provided with a removable sideplate 15 for access to the interior of the casing.

55 Rotatably iournalled between the side walls ot the casing 12 is thespindle or axis 16 provided for the spring drum 17.

Arranged within the drum 17 is a spring 18 that is secured at one end tothe spindle 16 as at 19 as shown in Figure 4. The outer end of thespring is suitably engaged with the periphery of the drum as also shownin Figure 4 and designated by the reference numeral 20.

The drum 17 is provided on its periphery with a groove accommodating atape 21 that is secured at its inner end to the periphery 0T the drum asat 22. The tape 22'works through an opening .23 provided therefor in theface plate 13 as shown in Figure 1. Means is provided for detachablysecuring the free end of the tape 21 to the sash and in this connectionit will be noted that the rail 11 ci the sash is provided inlits upperportion with a groove in which fits a metallic channel member 24 that isprovided at its upper end with an attaching plate 25 secured to the topci the sash by screws or other seeming elements 26. At the lower end ofthe groove the sash 11`is provided with-a socket 27 receiving anextension or end 28 of the channel member 24, and inwardly from the end28 one side of the channel member is provided with a shoulder 29 to reston the4 shoulder of the sash rail 11 provided at the upper end of thesocket 27 as will be understood :from a study of Figure `1.

Adjacent the end 28 the channel member 24 has an angular tongue 30struck out therefrom and engageable in a slot provided in the free endo1 the tape 21 for detachably securing the tape to the window sash inthe manner clearly suggested in Figure 1. An improved brake is alsoprovided for retarding rotation of the drum 17, and said brake comprisesa bracket plate 31 having adjacent each end thereof a pair of opposedslotted lugs 32 depending therefrom and engaging guide pins 33, 33extending between the sides e! the casing 12 as Will be clear from astudy of Figures 1 and 3. Lugs 32 and pins 33, 33 cooperate to constrainthe plate 31 to swing ver-l tically. On the under side thereofintermediate its ends the plate 31 is provided with a brake shoe 34 of atype to engage the periphery of the drum 1n a manner to apply a brakingaction thereto.

At the end thereof nearest to the face plate 13 the bracket plate 31 isprovided with spaced inclined ears between which is journalled a guidepulley 35 over which is trained the tape 21 as shown in Figure 1.

Connected with the plate 31 at that end thereof remote from'the pulley35, and arranged within the casing 12 is a spring device which in thepresent instance consists of a coil spring 35' having one end thereof inhooked engagement with the plate 31 and its lower end welded orotherwise secured to a nut 38 screw threadedly engaged with a bolt 37extending vertically upwardly from the bottom of the casing 12.Obviously by adjusting the nut 36 on the bolt 37 the tension of thespring 35' may be regulated as found desirable.

In order that the spring 18 may up when desired the drum spindle 16 isprovided in one end thereof with a kerf 38 for receiving a screw driveror similar implement to rotate the spindle relative to the drum in aclockwise direction; while adjacent the other end thereof the spindle isprovided with a squared intermediate portion, and-with the squaredintermediate portion of the spindle there is engaged a ratchet wheel 39that has the teeth thereof engaged by one end of a pivoted dog 40mounted in the casing 12 to prevent retrograde movement of the spindle16.

From the description of the invention thus far it will be seen that asthe window sash is pulled downwardly against the tension ofthe spring 18the shaft or spindle 16 is held stationary while the drum revolves aboutthe spindle as an axis.

When the sash is at rest, in either an open or closed condition theparts are in the position shown in full line in Figure 1. Assuming thatit is desired to slide the sash downwardly, it will be understood thatupon downward movement oi the sash a pull will be exerted on the tape orribbon 21, causing the plate 31 to swing to the dotted line positionshown in Figure 1, the pin 33 acting as a fulcrum for the plate 31.Obviously plate 31 swinging to the dotted line position will cause thebrake shoe 34 to move out oi engagement with the periphery of the drumthus permitting the drum to rotate for paying out the tape or ribbon 21.Obviously as soon as the sash comes to rest at the desired adjustmentthe pull on the ribbon or tape 21 will diminish sufllciently to permitthe plate 31 to swing back to the full line position shown in Figure 1for engaging the brake shoe 34 with the drum to prevent further rotationof the drum and thereby secure the sash at the desired adjustment.

When it is desired to raise the window, the sash israisedorslidupwardlyin theusualmanner thus releasing tension on the tape orribbon 21 so that the plate 31 under action of the spring 35.

will swing in a clockwise direction, pin 33' acting as a fulcrum for theplate. The swing of the plate in this direction will obviously move thebrake shoe 34 out of engagement with the drum so that the latter is freeto wind the tape or ribbon 21 thereon, as the sash is moving upwardly.When the sash comes to rest the parts will then return to their normalposition for securing the sash at the desired adjustment.

Having thus described my invention, claim as new is:

1. In a sash balance, a casing, a spring drum rotatably mounted in thecasing and a spring contained in the drum for rotating the same, a tapewinding on the drum, a pair of spaced pins mounted bet'veen the sides ofthe casing, a plate supported by said pins and having slotted dependinglugs engaged with .said pins, said pins serving as fulcrums for theplate, a brake shoe on the under side of the plate intermediate its endsand engageable with the drum for applying a braking action thereto, saidplate having depending ears at one end, a roller journalled between saidears over which said tape is trained, a spring engaged at one end withthe free end of said plate, and a spring tensioning device connectingthe free end of said spring with the bottom of said casing. V

2. In combination with the drum and tape of a sash balance, a brakemechanism for said drum including a substantially horizontal plate, a.brake shoe on one side of the plate engaging the periphery of said drum,said plate adjacent each end thereof being provided with dependingslotted lugs, flxedvpins extending through the slots of said lugs, oneof said pins providing a fulcrum for the plate when the latter is swungin one direction to release the drum, and the other of said pinsproviding a fulcrum for the plate when the latter is swung in a reversedirection for releasing said drum, a guider pulley mounted on one end ofthe plate and over which the tape is trained for exerting a pull on saidone end of the plate to swing the latter in one direction, and a coilspring anchored at one end and having a free end engaged with the end ofthe plate remote from said pulley for swinging the plate in a reversedirection when tension on the tape is released.

. JOHN P. PETERSON.

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